A known brake control apparatus for a vehicle is disclosed, for example, in JP2006-21745A. The brake control apparatus for a vehicle disclosed can generate a high wheel cylinder pressure (hereinafter referred to as a W/C pressure) by applying a basic fluid pressure generated at a M/C to each W/C and a controlled pressure generated by means of a driving of a pump that is activated by a motor to thereby achieve a large braking force at a wheel. At a time of braking of the vehicle, the controlled pressure in addition to the basic fluid pressure is generated so that a high braking force is achieved. After the vehicle is stopped, the activation of the motor is cancelled so that the operation of the pump is terminated.
However, in the cases where the operation of the pump is stopped after the vehicle is stopped, no flow of brake fluid occurs through the pump at a time a driver further depresses a brake pedal without releasing it. In addition, since a pressure difference control valve provided between the M/C and each of the W/Cs is brought to a pressure difference generating state so that the controlled pressure can be applied to the W/Cs, flow of brake fluid is not sufficiently supplied by the pressure difference control valve. Thus, the driver may feel like depressing a hard or stiff plate when further depressing the brake pedal (i.e., very stiff brake pedal feel because a brake pedal stroke is hardly produced when the brake pedal is depressed). As a result, a brake pedal feel may be impaired and a further depression of the brake pedal may be difficult.
In order to avoid deterioration of brake pedal feel by eliminating the aforementioned very stiff brake pedal feel or to facilitate the further depression of the brake pedal, it is considered to drive the pump even after the vehicle is stopped. However, continuous activation of the motor may cause an increase in current consumption.
A need thus exists for a brake control apparatus for a vehicle which is not susceptible to the drawback mentioned above.